Raisin-seeder.



No. 631,069. Patented Aug. l5, I899.

w. B. FENN.

RAISIN SEEDER.

(Application filed Feb. 7, 1898.) (No Model.) 5 Sheets$heet l,

Patented Aug. I5, I899.

No. ssguae.

W. B. FENN.

RAISIN SEEDER.

[Application filed Feb. 7, 1898.)

5 Sheets-Sheet 2 (No Model.)

zyz'i rzesaea 77a e/ya THE Noam FEI'ERs co. PHOTO-LITHO,WASH1NGTGN. o c,

N0. s3|,ue9. Patented Aug. I5, 1399.

W. B. FENN.

RAISIN SEEDER.

(Application filed Feb. 7, 1898.)

(No Model.)

5 Sheets-8heet 3.

50627666665' ,z'raa'ezzi ar' m: uonms Farms co wowoumo. WIASQINGYGN. a c

No. 631,069. I Patented Aug. I5, I899. W. B. FENN.

RAISIN SEEDER.

(Application filed Fab. 7, 1898.)

( No Model.) 5 Sheets$heet 4 V lllllllllllllllllllllllfl? Patented Aug.[5, I899.

W. B. FENN.

RAISIN SEEDER.

(Application filed Feb. 7, 1898.)

5 Sheets-Sheet 5,

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VlTililAM B. FENN, OF NElV YORK, N. Y.

RAlSlN-SEEDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 631,069, dated August15, 1899.

Application filed February '7, 1898. Serial No. 669,430. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM B. FENN, of New York, county of New York,and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Raisin-Seeders; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to theletters of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to machines for antomatically removing the pitsor seed from raisins and similar small fruits, the object of theinvention being to automatically present the raisins one at a time tothe pit-extracting mechanism and to extract the pits therefrom speedily,effectually, and without undue mutilation of the remaining meat or skinof the fruit.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an end elevation ofa machine embodying my present invention or improvements. Fig. 2 is avertical section taken in a plane parallel to the end elevation, Fig. 1.Fig. 3 is a front elevation, partly in section and with portions brokenaway to disclose underlying parts of one end of the machine, one endonly being shown, inasmuch as the parts represented are simply doubledfor the full length of the machine. Fig. 4 is a side elevation, and Fig.5 is a vertical section through the positioningplunger. Fig. 6 is a sideelevation, and Fig. 7 a vertical section, of the extractor or needlehead. Fig. 8 is a detail section of one of the pockets in which thefruit is held and the seed expelled. Fig. 9 is a vertical sectionthrough the resilient tubular support against which the fruit is heldand through which the pits or seed pass as they are expelled from thefruit. Fig. 10 is a section corresponding to Fig. 2, with the positionof the parts reversed. Fig. 11 is a detail sectional elevation showingthe springpressed bar for moving the sheaths of the extracting-heads.

Like letters of reference in the several figures indicate the sameparts.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the frame of the machine, it will beseen, is formed by end plates A, having suitable bearings and of properconformation to support the operative parts of the machine, such endplat-esbeing connected by horizontal bars a a at the bottom and ct a atthe top.

In general terms the machine contemplates the handling of the raisinsfrom a top hopper, into which they are dumped in bulk, being thencetransferred to a secondary hopper and from this secondary hopper one byone down through suitable conduits into receptacles arranged in atransversely-moving table and in which receptacles the fruit is firstpositioned and centered by a suitable plunger, and, if necessary, theskin on one side lacerated, the table being then moved to bring thefruit beneath extracting-heads and above the resilient support throughwhich the pits are expelled by the extracting-head, and finallydischarging the fruit from the receptacles at a diiferent point from thepoint of discharge of the pits. In accomplishing these results thetransverselymoving table,which is lettered B, is preferably mounted inend guides or ways 12, supported from the bars a by brackets Z).Arranged in this table B are a series of pockets or receptacles for thefruit, shown in detail in Fig. 8 and formed, as will be noted from thisfigure, by boring straight through the table B, the aperture therebyformed being partially closed at the bottom by a perforated plate B anda resilient annulus B located in the bottom of the pocket and held inplace by an internally tapered or conical washer or annulus B which isdriven into or expanded in the pocket above the resilient annulus B Asmany of these pockets as desired may be arranged lengthwise of thetable; but for convenience I have illustrated but one end of the machinein Fig. 3, showing a single pocket. The table 13 is adapted to bereciprocated back and forth from front to the rear of the machine and ateach extreme of its movement to rest fora greater or less length of timein order, first, that the seating and centering mechanism may have timeto operate when the table is at the forward end of its movement, and,secondly, in order that the extracting mechanislnmay operate when it isat the rearward endof its movement. The centering and seating mechanismconsists, primarily, of plungers O, mounted upon or depending from atransverse vertically-movable bar or head D, which slides upon verticalshafts or rods cl and receives its vertical reciprocation through aconnecting-rod D, extending down and operated by a strap and eccentric Dupon a shaft- D adapted to be rotated, as will be presently explained.The mechanism is timed to cause the descent of theplungers C at themoment when the table B is at its forward rest, and surrounding theplungers C are the conical supplemental plungers 0, adapted to be heldin their forward position by springs c and retained upon the plungers Cby set-keys 0 Working in slots or ways 0 in the side of the plungers.The specific construction of each of these plungers will be seen byreference to Figs. 4 and 5, where the same is represented on a somewhatlarger scale than in the other figures.

The descent of the plungers into the pockets will compress and centerany fruit which may have been deposited therein and cause any pits orseeds contained in the-fruit to slide into the central perforation inthe bottom of the pocket, and at. this point I preferably provide ameans for cutting or lacerating the skin of the fruit on the under sideto facilitate the expulsion of the pits, with which object in view Imount a second transverse vertically-movable head E upon the lower endsof the rods or guides d and also mount upon the shaft D a second set ofcams E, which, cooperating with the under side of the heads E, willelevate the same at the moment when the head-D is in its lowermostposition. The head E carries on its upper side a series of knives orslitters e, which pass up into the pockets or into the apertures in thebottom of the pockets and perforate or lacerate the skin of the fruitcontained in the pocket. The top and bottom heads are then moved out ofoperation by the continued rotation of the shaft D and when they havemoved out of the path of the table B said table is advanced to therearward extreme of its movement, this movement being imparted to it bya cam F, mounted on a shaft F, driven by gear-wheels f from the shaft Dand adaptedto operate upon the table through an arm 11 carrying anantifriction-roller 19 The operative surface of the cam, it will beobserved, is divided into an inner concentric portion f and an outerconcentric portion f these concentric portions of the cam being solocated as to give the desired rests to the table at each extreme of itsmovement, and in the preferred construction the table is drawn forwardby a spring or springs B attached at one end to the table and at theopposite end to a support 13, extending up from one of the transversebars a.

As before stated, when at the rear extreme of its movement the table isin position for the pockets to lie beneath suitable extracting-heads,which heads (lettered Gin the accompanying drawings) are mounted upon atransverse vertically-movable head G, carried by end guides G2 andadapted to be vertically reciprocated through the medium of aconnecting-rod g and a strap and eccentric g, mounted upon a shaft G3and rotated by mechanism to be presently described.

In the construction shown each of'the extracting heads is formed by anexternal sheath or casing H, Figs. 6 and 7, and an internal plunger 7L,carrying a series of extracting-needles h in its lower end adapted toproject through apertures 71, in the lower end of the sheath or casingH. The entire separation of the plunger and casing is prevented by acircular key h surrounding a reduced portion of the plunger, and theparts are made to Work with sufficient friction to hold the sheath orcasing at any position to which it may be moved until a positivepressure is brought to bear upon it to again change its position ofadjustment. The pockets being in position, the head G descends and theex.- tracting-heads G enter the pockets. The casing H, coming is contactwith the fruit, is arrested and the needles enter the fruit or compressthe same in such manner as to cause the pits to be expelled from theunder side thereof through the aperture in the resilient washer B Inorder now to insure a more perfect operation at this critical pointinthe handling of the fruit, and especially raisins,where the meat,skin, and pits are held together by such a viscous fluid, I provide anespe cially-constructed support for the meat ofthe fruit, with meanswhereby the pits may be effectually cleaned or separated from such meatand the meat saved in the body of the fruit. Supporting-heads (shown indetail in Fig. 9) are provided upon a transverse vertically-movable baror main head K, carried by the guides G2 and adapted to be movedvertically by cams K on the shaft G and operating on the under side ofthe said head K, the cams K and g being arrangedoppositely or so as tocause the simultaneous approach and recession of the heads K and G.

The supporting-heads proper consist, pri- .marily, of acentrally-perforated elastic cushion, the perforation being preferablyof such size as to admit the pits only when pressure is brought to bearupon them, the walls of the aperture thus acting as strippin g-surfaces'for removing any adherent meat from the pits. Referring particularly toFig. 9, it will be seen that the head K has a vertical aperture k formedtherein, in which slides a sleeve it, having a reduced upper end 10 andcontaining within it a soft-rubber plug L, preferably formed of a verysoft rubber composition and centrally perforated for the passage of thepits. To provide a lasting wearing-surface, I cover this soft-rubberplug L with a resilient but tough rubber sheet or disk L, held in placeby the sleeve k, the said sleeve being in turn held by a set-screw Ye.The rubber or resilient support thus formed may, if desired, have thelower portion of its central aperture protected by a metal tube Zembedded therein, and the tension or normal resiliency of the supportmay be adjusted by a second collar L adapted to be adjusted verticallyagainst the bottom of the plug L and held in its adjusted position by aset-screw 1*, as shown.

To remove the seeded or pitted fruit from the pockets,theextracting-heads are elevated, carrying such fruit impaled upon the endsof the needles, and, bearing in mind the fact that the sheaths on saidhead are movable with relation to the needles, when the heads have beenelevated to a proper height and the table moved forward from beneath theheads the upper ends of the sheaths or casings strike a horizontalspring-depressed blade M, Figs. 2 and 3, causing them to remainstationary while the needles are withdrawn; and should the fruit adhereto the bottom surface of the sheaths or casings I provide a series ofstripper-fingers 01, mounted upon the horizontal bar N, fixed to thevertical guides G which will cause any fruit adherent to the bottomfaces of the sheaths after the needles are withdrawn to drop. The tablehaving moved forward the fruit willdrop upon an incline O, which may bearranged to convey it to any desired point.

For the purpose of feeding the fruit to the pockets singly the fruit isfirst dumped into a hopper P at the top of the machine, being adapted tobe discharged from said hopper by a rotary and preferably heatedfeed-roller 19 into a secondary hopper R, a portion of which may beformed by the bar (t and as shown in full and dotted lines in Fig. 2.The feedroller 13 may be given an intermittent rotation by a pawlp,carried by a standardp mounted on ahead G, whereby when the pawl ismoved downwardly it will engage one tooth of a small ratchet-wheel p onthe end of the feed-roller and impart a slight rotation thereto, thepawl then in oving out of engagement with the wheel until its nextdownward movement. The roll p may be heated through a steam-pipepNorking vertically through the bottom of the secondary hopper R are aseries of elevators corresponding in number to the series of pockets andextracting heads beneath, and these elevators are each preferably formedin telescoping sections, which by successive extensions tend to insurethe elevation of but a single raisin at a time, and when this singleraisin has been elevated mechanism is provided for conveying it down tothe pockets. Referring particularly to Fig. 2, it will be seen that theelevator illustrated therein is formed by an inner section S, having aconcave s in its upper end and an outer section or cylinder S inclosingthe inner section S. The outer section S is provided at its lower endwith a flange 8, adapted to contact with the under side of the hopper Rto prevent its further upward movement, and it is supported upon aspring T, the lower end of which rests upon a flange s of the innersection S. This inner section in turn rests upon a horizontal bar T,carried by the head G, although the head and bar may move out of asingle fruit have been elevated by both sections practically all but oneare sure to drop off at a point above the body of fruit in the bottom ofthe hopper when the inner section alone moves upwardly. The fruit havingbeen raised on the top of the elevator, transfer-arms V, mounted on anoscillating shaft WV, receive it, preferably by having it impaled upontheir sharpened ends, and as the shaft W oscillates the arms V will beturned forwardly with relation to the machine and the fruit impaled uponthe ends of the arms will be carried over the upper ends of chutes ortubes X, and inasmuch as the armsVwork through narrow slots 1) at theupper ends of these chutes or tubes the fruit will be scraped off intothe upper ends of the tubes and descend thence by gravity to the uppersurface of the table B. The movement of the parts is so timed that thefruit shall be scraped from the fingers when the table is at therearward extreme of its movement, or at least when the pockets are tothe rear of the lower ends of the tubes or chutes X. The fruit fallingupon the plain upper surface of the table B will be scraped along oversaid surface until the pockets arrive beneath the lower ends of thechutes or tubes, when it will fall into said pockets in position to beoperated upon, as heretofore described.

For the purpose of oscillating the shaft W the head D is provided with abracket Y, extending out to the end of the machine and carrying thevertically-arranged rack-bar y, engaging a gear wheel or pinion g on theend of the shaft W. Thus as the head D reciprocates vertically tne shaftW will be given a corresponding oscillation, and the extent of suchoscillation may be readily regulated by the size of the gear-wheel yemployed.

The shafts F, D and (l may be rotated from any suitable source of power;but in the machine shown I provide a drive-shaft Z, mounted in suitablebearings z, and carrying suitable fast and loose pulleys z. The shaft Zis provided with a small gear wheel or pinion Z, (shown in dotted lines,Fig. 1,) adapted to mesh with a gear-wheel Z on the shaft G saidgear-wheel Z being also adapted to mesh with a gear-wheel Z on the shaftD All of these gear-wheels and the pulleys are mounted preferablyoutside of the main frame of the machine, the shafts D and G beingextended through the frame for the purpose of receiving the gear-wheelsZ and Z The movement of the shaft D is communicated to the shaft F bymeans of the gear-wheels f, preferably located just inside of the mainframe at each. end, as shown clearly in Figs. 2 and 3.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a fruit-pitter, the combination with a pitting mechanism forremoving the pits from the fruit, of a hopper for the unpitted fruit, anelevator working through the bottom of the hopper and consisting oftelescoping sections, the upper ends of which rise and extend one beyondthe other in the open central part of the hopper without obstructionwhereby fruit dropped therefrom will fall back into the hopper inposition to be again elevated, and means independent of the elevator forremoving the fruit elevated by the inner section of the elevator;substantially as described.

2. In a. fruit-pitter the combination with the pit-extracting mechanismof a main hopper, a feed-roll for feeding the fruit in quantity fromsaid hopper, a secondary. hopper into which the fruit is fed andselecting mechanism for transferring the fruit singly from the secondaryhopper to the extracting mechanism; substantially as described.

3. In a fruit-pitter the combination with the pit-extractingmechanism,of a main hopper, a feedsroll for dischargingthe fruit from the mainhopper, a secondary hopper for receiving the fruit from said roll, aselectingdevice consisting of an elevator working through the bottom ofsaid secondary hopper and means for discharging, the fruit from saidelevator to the pitting mechanism; substantially as described.

4. In a fruit-pitter the combination with the pit-extracting mechanismand hopper, of an elevator working through the bottom of and extendingup into the open central part.

of said hopper comprising a central section and inclosing telescopingsection, an elevating mechanism for extending said, sectionssuccessively whereby a'portion of the fruitis dropped ofi and means fordischarging theremaining fruit from saidrelevator to the pitextractingmechanism; substantially as described.

5. In a fruit-pitter the combination with a movable table having apocket therein with rigid side wallsfor the reception of the fruit,

and an extractor working in said pocket for adapted to enter said pocketand discharge the pits through the bottom thereof, of a resilientapertured support adapted to close the bottom of said pocket and form anabutment against which the meat of the fruit is arrested; substantiallyas described.

7. In a fruit-pitter the combination with the pocketed table having theaperture at the bottom and the pit-extracting, head working into saidpocket, of the resilient support movable independently of saidtablehavinga cen tral aperture and adapted to support the fruit while thepits are extracted therefrom; sub stantially as described.

8. In a fruit-pitter the combination with a pit-extracting. head, of asupportfor the fruit while the pits are being extracted therefrom formedof resilient material having an aper ture in the resilient non metallicportion thereof for the passage of the pits and a tn? bular metalliclining for the lower portionof said aperture, the upper end of saidliningbeing within the resilient material whereby'the resiliency of theentrance is not impaired; sub? stantially as described.

9. In a fruit-pitter the combination with a reciprocating table having afruit-pocket therein, a reciprocating extracting. head adapted to workinto said pocket and mechanism for reciprocating said head and table, ofa resilient support beneath said head and over which the pocket isbrought adaptedto support the fruit while the pits are beingex- Vtracted therefrom substantially as described.

10. In a fruit-pitter the combination with a reciprocating table havinga fruit pocket therein and a reciprocating extracting-head adapted towork into said pocket for discharg;

ing the pits from the fruit, of a movableresilient support independentof 11116; table adapted to support the fruit while the pits are beingextracted and having a central ap; ertnre for the passage of the pits;substantially as described.

11. In a fruit-pitter the combination with the vertically-reciprocatingcentering andpositioning plunger and the vertically-reciprocatingextracting-head, of a horizontal recip rocating table having a pocketthereinwith means for reciprocating said table and permitting it to restbeneath each of saidheads successively and a resilient closure for. thebottom of said pocket havingan aperture-for the discharge of the pits;substantially as described.

12; In a fruit-pitter the, combination with.

the vertically-reciprocating positioning-head and extracting-head, of ahorizontally-recip-' rocating pocket-tableand a cam for reciprocatingsaid table having concentric portions for permitting the table to restat each extreme of its movement; substantially asdescribed.

13. In a fruit-pitter the combination with a reciprocating table havinga fruit-pocket, a

centering and positioning head working into said pocket, a laceratorworking through the bottom of said pocket, cams for moving saidcentering and positioning head and lacerator toward each other and a camfor intermittingly reciprocating the table, of a reciprocatingextractor-head and oppositely-moving reciprocating resilient supporthaving a central aperture through which the pits are discharged, saidextractor-head and support being adapted to engage the fruit containedin the pocket and cams for simultaneously movin g said extractor-headand support in opposite directions; substantially as described.

14. In a fruit-pitter the combination with the pocketed table, thecentering and positioning plunger having a spring-pressed head and thecams for reciprocating said table and centering and positioning head, ofthe reciprocating extracting-head and the oppositelyreciprocatingresilient support, with cams for moving said head and support inopposite directions for engaging the fruit between them; substantiallyas described.

15. In a fruit-pitter the combination with the support or table havingthe fruit-pocket therein, of the reciprocating extracting-head havingthe series of pointed extractors, an inclosing sheath or case thereformovable independently of said extractors and a stop for arresting saidsheath or case and discharging the fruit from the extractors;substantially as described.

l6. In a 'fruit-pitter the combination with the support or table havingthe fruit-pocket therein, of the reciprocating extracting-head havingthe series of pointed extractors and inelosing sheath or case thereformovable independently of said extractors and a springpressed stop forarresting said sheath or case and discharging the fruit from theextractors; substantially as described.

17. In a fruit-pitter the combination with the fruit receptacle orpocket of an extracting-head having a series of pointed extractors, amovable sheath inclosing said head and adapted to remain in its adjustedposition on said head until moved by a positive pressure and a stop formoving said sheath to discharge the fruit from the extractors, wherebywhen the head enters the pocket, the fruit arrests the sheath and theextractors are projected and whereby When the sheath strikes the stopthe extractors are withdrawn; substantially as described.

WILLIAM B. FENN.

\Vitnesses:

F. XV. MERRITT, Josnrr-r ARBES.

